Surface covering unit

ABSTRACT

Surface covering unit comprising surface elements with supporting base, decorative upper surface and edges for joining said surface elements into said surface covering unit. The surface covering unit comprises at least one digital memory member connected to an antenna for radio frequency transmitted communication with a base station.

[0001] The present invention relates to a surface covering unit providedwith at least one digital memory member.

[0002] Different types of electronic ID cards are well known nowadays.The most common type is still the one containing a magnetic strip whichrequires a reader which is more or less in contact with the card itself.This means that the card owner will have to pick his card up and put itinto the reader in order to achieve the purpose with the card. This ismore or less awkward.

[0003] Another known type of ID card which is growing rapidly in use, isthe card that contains a memory unit in the form of a microchip whichcan store much information. This type of card can be read over somedistance by means of radio frequency communication as it can be providedwith an antenna which is integrated into the ID card together with themicrochip. This has the advantage that the owner of the card will nothave to pick it up and to put it into a specific reader. Energy to theto the radio communication sent by the card is provided by the reader asa carrier wave on which information from reader to card is interlaced.No battery will therefore have to be included in the ID card.

[0004] There is an increasing need to control and guide traffic as wellas logistic foremost in public environment like airports, subwaystations, railway stations and stores, but to some extent also inoffices and households. As microprocessors are very cheap nowadays, itis also possible to achieve statistics and guiding, more or lessautomatically. There is also an increasing need for identificationwithout utilising visible encoding.

[0005] The above mentioned problems have been solved through the presentinvention whereby a hidden and cost effective device for guiding,identification and control of selected items is achieved.

[0006] Accordingly, the invention relates to a surface covering unitcomprising surface elements with supporting base, a decorative uppersurface and edges for joining said surface elements into said surfacecovering unit. The invention is characterised in that the surfacecovering unit comprises at least one digital memory member connected toan antenna for radio frequency transmitted communication with a basestation. The base station may be a static or a mobile unit.

[0007] The digital memory member is suitably encoded with digitalinformation in connection to the installation of the surface coveringunit. The information encoded into the digital memory member maysuitably comprise information selected from the group consisting of;date of installation, surface element batch number, installer,environmental conditions during installation and accessories used forthe installation. This information may be used for follow up of longterm quality studies as well as identification in warranty cases.

[0008] According to one embodiment of the invention the digital memorymember further comprises a processing unit. According to anotherembodiment of the invention the digital memory member further comprisesa temperature sensor. According to yet another embodiment of theinvention digital memory member further comprises a pressure sensorwhich suitably is of a piezo electric type. The base station is suitablyinstalled on a distance within 100 m from one or more digital memorymember. The base station communicates intermittently with the digitalmemory members via radio frequency. The base station preferablycomprises a central processing unit. The central processing unit is usedfor collecting and processing the data collected from the digital memorymembers. The data collected and processed suitably comprises data liketraffic for selected surface areas, temperature for selected surfaceareas and lapses in communication with selected digital memory members.The collected data is suitably used for guiding items selected from thegroup consisting of; goods display in stores, burglar alarm, refurnishplanning, logistic planning, environmental control, message presentationand light emission.

[0009] The digital memory members may according to one embodiment of theinvention further comprises mobile digital memory members also equippedwith antennas. These mobile digital memory members are encoded withdigital information. This information comprises selected informationlike date of installation, personal identification code, supervisorcode, passage area limitations, passage date and time limitations. Themobile digital memory members are used for guiding items like burglaralarm, environmental control, message presentation, light emission andpower supply to household utensils.

[0010] The invention is described further together with an enclosedFIGURE. The FIGURE shows schematically a system comprising a staticdigital memory member, a number of digital memory members withtemperature sensor and digital memory members comprising pressuresensor. The digital memory members are individually connected to each anantenna for radio frequency transmitted communication with a basestation. The base station is a device which is used for transmittingpower to the memory members via radio frequency so that the memorymember may send its contained information or receive information to beencoded in the memory member, via radio frequency. The base station isalso used for receiving the information sent by the memory member and incertain cases also for sending information to be encoded into the memorymember. The base station may be a mobile unit or a static unit.

[0011] The digital memory member is suitably encoded with digitalinformation in connection to the installation of the surface coveringunit. The information encoded into the digital memory member comprisesinformation regarding date of installation, surface element batchnumber, installer, environmental conditions during installation andaccessories used for the installation. This information is used forfollow up of long term quality studies as well as identification inwarranty cases. It is suitable to utilise a mobile base station for bothencoding and reading this information in the simplest way of exercisingthe present invention. The digital memory units comprising temperatureand pressure sensors are equipped with a processing unit andcommunicates intermittently with a base station installed on a distancewithin 100 m from each one of the digital memory members. The basestation communicates with the digital memory members via radiofrequency. The base station comprises a central processing unit. Thecentral processing unit is used for collecting and processing the datacollected from the digital memory members. The data collected andprocessed suitably comprises traffic data for selected surface areas,temperature data for selected surface areas and lapses in communicationwith selected digital memory members. The collected data may be used forguiding several different operations like goods display in stores,burglar alarm, refurnish planning, logistic planning, environmentalcontrol, message presentation and light emission. A number of pressuresensors may for example be arranged on strategic areas on the floor of astore. The sensors are linked to a central processing unit via one ormore base units. The central processing units collects the data and candisplay walking pattern of customers in the store as well as trafficdensity in selected areas. This information can be used for a betterdisplay of products which may benefit sales as well as the customers.The same sensors may also be used for environmental control increasingair ventilation and air conditioning to areas where people gather andduring closed hours be used to trigger burglar alarms when nobody isexpected to step on a pressure sensor.

[0012] The sensors may also be used for increasing light emission inoffices and homes when a person enters a room or a corridor as well asturning the light off when nobody is present. The central processingunit may also be connected to the Internet so that the sensors can bemonitored from any location. It will also be possible to make refurnishplans made on actual wear and to make the central processing unit callfor example a cleaning company or a refurnish company when a selectedamount of people has stepped on a specified sensor.

[0013] It is also possible to have the base station communicate withmobile digital memory members also equipped with antennas. These mobiledigital memory members are also encoded with digital information. Thisinformation may for example comprise information like date ofinstallation, personal identification code, supervisor code, passagearea limitations, passage date and time limitations. The mobile digitalmemory members may be used for guiding items like burglar alarm,environmental control, message presentation, light emission and powersupply to household utensils.

[0014] Both the static and mobile memory members may for example also beused in geriatric care for watching people suffering from conditionslike Altsheimer. Since the only thing registered is movement, thesurveillance will have low impact on the personal integrity. The basestation may be programmed for guiding selected electrical outlets andgas stoves assisting the caretaker by closing power supply to householdutensils which otherwise could cause fire or other hazards when thecaretaker leaves home. The sensors may also be used for activatingselected functions when the caretaker enters a room within the watchedarea or to alarm the care centre if no movement has been registered fora predetermined period of time. Movement patterns over elongated periodsof time may also be recorded which may be used for evaluatingdevelopment of both health and treatment.

[0015] It is even possible to apply a mobile memory member on the collarof the family pet whereby a pet door may be opened only if the desiredpet is in front of it and receives rations when in front of the petfeeder. A pressure sensor will register the presence of a pet while themobile digital memory member will identify the family pet and the petdoor will open. The pet feeder will work in a similar manner.

[0016] Another example where both static and mobile memory members canbe used is in parking lots where each parking space has a static sensor,while the car or the driver has a mobile memory member. This combinationmay be used for paying parking bills as well as guiding the driver backto his vehicle, which is a great advantage on very big parking lots.

[0017] It is, as can be understood from the above, a great flexibilityin the system as the presence of a mobile memory member can be used forstarting a number of events. These events can be pre-programmed tocertain days or times and for certain memory members. This means thatthe presence of a first memory member may start one series of eventswhen a first pressure sensor is activated and another event when asecond pressure sensor is activated. It may also start one event when afirst memory member is present and another event when a second memorymember is present. The range of the base stations may of course beadjusted to the actual use. In some cases a larger range is desiredwhile a shorter range is desired in other cases.

[0018] The static memory members may suitably be integrated with thesurface elements and may for example be arranged in a special recess onthe rear side of the surface element. Such a surface element may forexample be a floor board, a wall panel or a ceiling panel. Pressuresensors are advantageously used on floor boards and wall panels whiletemperature sensors may be used on all embodiments of surface elements.

[0019] A surface element according to the present invention includes acore which is covered with an upper decorative surface. The core mostoften consists of wood particles or fibre bonded together with glue orresin. Since the core material is sensitive to moisture it may beadvantageous to treat the area closest to the joint if the floor is tobe exposed to moisture. This treatment may suitably include resin, waxor some kind of lacquer. It will not be necessary to treat the joint ifthe surface elements are to be glued since the glue itself will protectthe joint from moisture penetration. The decorative upper surface mayconsist of a decorative paper impregnated with an acrylic or amelamine-formaldehyde resin. One or more layers of so called overlaypaper of cellulose, impregnated with acrylic or melamine-formaldehyderesin is suitably placed on top of the decorative paper. One or more ofthe above layers may be sprinkled with hard particles, of for examplealuminium oxide, silicon carbide or silicon oxide in connection to theimpregnation in order to improve the abrasion resistance. The paperimpregnated with resin is cured before, or in connection to applying itto the core. The paper layers are suitably laminated together beforethey are applied to the core in cases where the upper decorative surfaceis constituted by more than one paper layers. The lower side maysuitably be coated with a lacquer or a resin impregnated paper.

[0020] The core of the surface elements may alternatively be constitutedby a mixture of 4-6 parts by weight of particles such as wood fibre,with an average particle size in the range 50 μm-3000 μm which isagglomerated with 4-6 parts by weight of a thermoplastic polymer. Theparticles may partly or completely be constituted by another organicmaterial such as bark, flax, straw, corn starch, fruit stones or thelike. It is also possible to partly or completely replace the organicparticles with inorganic ones such as stone dust, sand, lime, mica orthe like.

[0021] The thermoplastic material is suitably constituted by apolyolefin such as polyethylene, polypropylene, or polybutene but canalso be constituted by others such as polystyrene,acrylnitril-butadiene-styrene copolymer, polyamid, polyvinyl chloride orpolycarbonate.

[0022] Additives might be added to the material in order to adapt theelastic and acoustic properties of the core to the desired one. Amongsuch additives can mentioned ethyl-vinyl-acetate, di-ethyl-phthalate,di-isobutyl-phthalate or epoxidated organic oils.

[0023] Among possible upper surfaces to the core specified above may bementioned thermosetting laminates including at least a decorative paperimpregnated with melamine-formaldehyde resin. Overlay paper and hardparticles may be added to this as described earlier in the presentapplication. The upper decorative surface may also be constituted by anacrylic foil, an acrylic lacquer and combinations thereof. It might alsobe constituted by a foil or a lacquer of acrylic, polyolefins orpolyolefin derivatives

1. Surface covering unit comprising surface elements with supportingbase, decorative upper surface and edges for joining said surfaceelements into said surface covering unit whereby, the surface coveringunit comprises at least one digital memory member connected to anantenna for radio frequency transmitted communication with a basestation, the digital memory member containing digital informationobtained through means selected from the group consisting of encoding,pressure sensor and temperature sensor.
 2. Surface covering unitaccording to claim 1, wherein the digital memory member is encoded withdigital information in connection to the installation of the surfacecovering unit.
 3. Surface covering unit according to claim 2, whereinthe information comprises information selected from the group consistingof date of installation, surface element batch number, installer,environmental conditions during installation and accessories used forthe installation.
 4. Surface covering unit according to claim 1, whereinthe digital memory member further comprises a processing unit. 5.Surface covering unit according to claim 4, wherein the digital memorymember further comprises a temperature sensor.
 6. Surface covering unitaccording to claim 4, wherein the digital memory member furthercomprises a pressure sensor.
 7. Surface covering unit according to claim6, wherein the pressure sensor is of a piezo electric type.
 8. Surfacecovering unit according to claim 4, wherein the base station isinstalled on a distance up to 100 m from one or more digital memorymembers and that the base station communicates intermittently with thedigital memory members.
 9. Surface covering unit according to claim 8,wherein the base station comprises a central processing unit, whichcentral processing unit is used for collecting and processing the datacollected from the digital memory members.
 10. Surface covering unitaccording to claim 9, wherein the central processing unit is used forcollecting and presenting data selected from the group consisting oftraffic for selected surface areas, temperature for selected surfaceareas and lapses in connection with selected digital memory members. 11.Surface covering unit according to claim 10, wherein the collected datais used for guiding items selected from the group consisting of goodsdisplay in stores, burglar alarm, refurnish planning, logistic planning,environmental control, message presentation and light emission. 12.Surface covering unit according to claim 9, wherein the digital memorymembers further comprises mobile digital memory units also equipped withantennas.
 13. Surface covering unit according to claim 12, wherein themobile digital memory member is encoded with digital information, whichinformation comprises information selected from the group consisting ofdate of installation, personal identification code, supervisor code,passage area limitations, passage date and time limitations.
 14. Surfacecovering unit according to claim 13, wherein the mobile digital memorymember unit is used for guiding items selected from the group consistingof burglar alarm, environmental control, message presentation, lightemission and power supply to household utensils.